2012-13 NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 – No. 4

Indiana Wesleyan claims the top spot in the Coaches' Poll

January 08, 2013

By Travis Rae, Communications and Sports Information Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the first time this season, Indiana Wesleyan claims the No. 1 ranking in the 2012-13 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25, the national office announced Tuesday. The Wildcats collected all 12 first place-votes and 312 points in the fourth regular-season edition of the Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

Indiana Wesleyan jumps to the top of the poll after spending two weeks at No. 2. Indiana Wesleyan has started the season on a 17 game-winning streak, which is tied for the best in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball. In the last two contests, Indiana Wesleyan has won by a margin of 37.5 points per games.

Falling one stop to No. 2 is Concordia (Neb.), who tallied 302 points. The Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season on Jan. 5 to Dordt (Iowa), 96-86, in double overtime. Moving up two spots to No. 3 is Davenport (Mich.). The Panthers, who are tied with Indiana Wesleyan on a 17 game-winning streak, recorded 285 points. Coming in at No. 4 is College of the Ozarks (Mo.) and Morningside (Iowa), as both notched 281 points.

Making the biggest jump this week was Valley City State (N.D.) moving from No. 17 to No. 12. The Vikings have won both of their 2013 games, defeating NCAA Division III, University of Minnesota-Morris, 65-39, on Jan. 4. and beating NCAA Division II South Dakota School of Mines, 59-47, on Jan. 7.

Joining the Top 25 is No. 19 St. Ambrose (Iowa), No. 20 Marian (Ind.) and No. 24 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.). St. Ambrose is currently winning nine straight and is ranked for the first time since Nov. 28, 2011. Marian joins the Top 25 for the first time since Feb. 6, 2012 and is enjoying a six game-winning streak. Also winning six in-a-row is Dakota Wesleyan, who enters the poll for the first time since Feb. 24, 2004.

Eleven of the 13 Division II women's basketball conferences/independents are represented throughout the Top 25, led by the Crossroads League and Great Plains Athletic Conference with five ranked teams each.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and Independents. The fifth regular-season poll will be announced on Jan. 15.

Notes:(All information as of the 1999 - 2000 season) Indiana Wesleyan has appeared at the top of the poll on 26 occasions followed by Morningside (Iowa) with 19... There have been 14 different teams to garner the No. 1 ranking all-time ... Three schools have spent an entire season at No. 1: Morningside in 2008-09, College of the Ozarks (Mo.) in 2007-08 and Saint Francis in 1999-2000... In the last 13 years, six teams that have been rated No. 1 in the preseason have gone on to win the national championship with the last being Northwestern, which has accomplished the feat the last two years.